Nonetheless, he’s representative of the overall rise of the ‘three true outcomes‘ pitcher. Conventionally, we think of TTO as applying to hitters; but I like to think of how pitchers (and pitching coaches) have changed their approach. Plenty of research has shown that pitchers have little control over batted balls, beyond their ability to suppress fly balls. Generally ground ball pitchers are preferable – they are less prone to home runs. Ground ballers who also strike out batters? Gold.

Pitchers, as we can see by the numbers, go for strikeouts. They don’t heed Crash Davis’ advice that strikeouts are fascist. That may be so, Crash, but they also don’t carry potential baserunner risk.

Of course gunning for a strikeout does raise the risk of walks. Thus, the rise of pitchers who can command the strike zone with an arsenal of pitchers. There’s pitching and then there’s pitching for strikes.

So, Yovani Gallardo needs to get his K groove back. He already walks too many batters to have a below-league-average strikeout rate. Seems pretty obvious what his focus should be heading into the championship season.